Sewing-machine



.I. E. MILLER.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-9| I920.

1 397 052 v Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

a Ito tum;

J. E. MILLER.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9, 1920.

1397mm Paten'fwd wmls, 1192116 5 SHEETS-SHEET 2- F/ V D I Am 1/ D! T L g2 J. E. MILLER.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man MAR. 9, 1920.

1 397fl52n Patenmd Nova 15, 119210 5 SHEETSSHEET 3- J. E. MILLER.

SEWING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9. I920.

Lawmm; Patented Nov. 15 19210 5SHEETS-SHEET 4.

J. E. MILLER.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9. I920.

11. 971,052 Patented Nov. 15, 1921.,

5 SHEETSSHEET 5.

JESSE E. MILLER, 0F KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE.

SEWING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 115, i921.

Application filed March 9, 1920. fierial No. 384,403.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Jesse E. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residin at Knoxville, in the county of Knox and tate of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawmg. 1

My invention relates particularly to machines for sewing the open ends of filled bags. The object of the invention is to provide a machine having a sewing head which moves horizontally during the sewing operation, the bag which is to be sewed being stationary. A further object of the invention'is to produce a machine which is rela tively light and portable and less expensive than other similar machines in which provision is made for moving the filled bags during the sewing operation. My im roved machine is intended more especially Or use in mills and feed stores and seed stores and similar places not requiring the performance of a large volume of work.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is aside elevation of an apparatus embodying my improvement;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the same apparatus;

ig. 3 is an upright section on the line,

3-3, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4b is an upright section on the line, 4-4, of Fig. 3, looklng toward the right;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line, 5-5, of Figs. 1, 4 and 7;

F ig. 6 is a, horizontal section on 6-6, of Figs. 1, t and 7; I

Fig. 7 is an upright section on the line, 77, of Figs. 1 and 4:, looking toward the right;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on 8-8, of Figs. 1, 4 and 7;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section on the line, 9-9, of Figs. 1, 3 and 4; v

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section on the line, 10-10, of Figs. 1, 3 and 4.

Figs. 11 and 12 show sectional details.

Referring to said drawings, A is a base on which is an upright, cylindrical tubular column, A Telescoping within said column is a cylindrical tube, 18. Said tube has the line,

the line,

' in its outer face an upright channel, B A

screw bolt, B extends through the column,

. neck is an annular ball bearing,

A into said channel to prevent the tube from rotating in the column, while the tube is permitted to slide upward and downward in the column. The column has an upright slot, A Tn alinement with said slot the outer face of the tube has gear teeth, 18 which mesh with a spur gear wheel, B", which surrounds and is fixed to a horizontal shaft, B which rests in bearings, A seated on the column, A. On said shaft is a hand crank, B, by means of which the operator may turn sald shaft for raising and lowering the tube, 18. Between the crank and the adjacent bearing, A said shaft is surrounded by a ratchet wheel, 13. A pawl, 1B, is mounted on the column, A and arranged to bear downward on the ratchet wheel to prevent said wheel from rotating in the direction which would permit the downward movement of the tube, B. By means of this lifting mechanism the operator may raise and lower the tube, B, within the range of the row of gear teeth, B

The longer upright arm of a goose-neck, (l, is supported in the tube, B, and carried upward and downward with and rotatable in the latter.

A disk, (3, is fitted into the lower end of the tube, B, and secured to said tube by horizontal screws, C extending through the wall of the tube into said disk. (Figs. 4 and 10.) In the upper face of the disk isseated a ball thrust bearing, C upon which rests the lower end of the longer arm of the goose-neck, C. A little way above the disk, C is a ring 0, fitted into the tube, 18. and secured by screws, C extending through the wall of the tube and into sald ring. Between the ring, (3*, and the arm of tlae goose- (Fi 4). In the upper end ofthe tube, Bf; ring, C, is fitted into said tube and secured by screws, C extending horizontally through the tube into said ring. An annular ball bearing, C, surrounds the arm'of the oose-neck within the ring, C (Fig. 4:.) he annular bearings, C and C and the thrust bearing, C permit easy rotation of the long arm of the goose-neck in the tube, B; and such rotation involves the swinging of the shorter arm of the gooseneck in a curved path which is concentric with the axis of the longer arm of the gooseneck. The goose neck constitutes a supporting member turnable on an upright axis and reaching laterally from said axis and having its outer or free end high enough to ad- 'mit a bag under said end.

On the lower end of the shorter or free arm of the goose-neck is mounted the sewing head, D, the throat of the machine opening downward and the needle working horizontally and radially to the axis of the tube, B, so that the upper end of the bag, E, may be traversed horizontally by the needle path while the sewing head is carried in the curved path of the shorter arm of the gooseneck. The sewing head, D, may be of any form suited to such work. The mechanism of said head is actuated through the rotation of a shaft, D through the rotation of a pulley, D", by an endless belt, D which is led over guide pulleys, D and D to a pulley, F, on an electric motor, F which rests on a bracket, F which is rigid on the gooseneck, C. Spools, D mounted on a spool support, D, supply thread to the sewing head in the usual manner.

Simultaneously with the actuation of the needle mechanism, the feeding is to be effected by turning the goose-neck in the tube, B, by means which will now be described.

On the upper end of the tube, and at the side of the latter opposite the sewing head is a segment gear, G, which has teeth concentric with the axis of said tube and which has ears, G lying against the outer face of said tube. Screw bolts, G extend through said ears into said tube and bind said segment gear immovably to said tube.

Between the tube, B, and the bracket, F, the goose-neck supports a chambered or hollow bracket, H, which is directed away from the sewing head. Said bracketincludes a capplate, H which surrounds one side of the goose-neck and is secured to the main part of the bracket by bolts, H. In said bracket is an upright shaft, H resting in a lower bearing, H, and in an upper bearlng, H Immediately above the bearing, H, said shaft is loosely surrounded by a spur gear wheel, Ht, which meshes with the segment gear, G. The rotation of the wheel, H will cause the lateral movement 'of the segment gear. The wheel, H receives rotation from the electric motor, F through a train of mechanism. On the shaft of the motor is a pulley, F A belt, F is applied to sald pulley and to a pulley, F on the horizontal shaft, H, which rests in bearings, H and H On said shaft is a gear worm, H which meshes with a worm wheel, H, which surrounds and is keyed to the shaft, H described, is a flange, H, in the upper face of which is an annular channel, H in which rests a friction clutch ring, H". A friction member, H surrounds the shaftn H and On the spur gear wheel, H, already is feathered for sliding on and rotating with the shaft, H and rests upon the friction ring, H". An expanding coiled spring, H surrounds saidshaft between the friction clutch member, H and the lower face of the worm wheel, H

The engaging faces of the clutch members and the downward pressure of the spring are made sufficient to normally cause the spur gear wheel, H, to receive rotation from the shaft, H when the latter is rotated through power transmitted by the electric motor. A reduction of velocity is efiected by making the pulley, F be larger than the pulley, F and by placing a gear worm on the shaft, H and making said worm mesh with a worm wheel on the shafuH". The action of the spur gear wheel, H on the segment gear, G, is to be slow enough to cause the sewing head, D, to travel at a velocity which will produce feed for stitches of the desired length.

The electric motor, F is controlled by the foot of the operator through a circuit closer, ll, which is adapted to close the circuit through wires, T leading from the circuit closer to the motor. The circuit closer is to lie on the floor in convenient position to head or the adjacent part of the goose-neck and pushing or pulling in such reverse direction. During such reverse movement the clutch member, H and H slip on the clutch member, H

A scale, S, may be placed under the apparatus, as shown in Fig. 1, the platform of the scale being under the sewing head, D, and supporting the bag, E, and the column and head of the scale rising into the space beneath the raised part of the goose-neck. The scale is used for weighing the bag, and the bag may then be sewed before it is removed from the scale. If a bag should be too short to reach the sewing head when the latter, is in its lowest position, a box or similar object may be placed on the floor or scale and used as a support for the bag. When long bags are to be sewed, the crank, B is tobe turned to sufficiently raise the tube,B.and all the parts supported thereby.

The base, A, has a lower circular flange, A 'Screw' bolts, A, extend downward through said flange in position to bear j as against the floor. When the door is uneven one or two of these screws are to be driven downward to bring the base into the level position, and to effect such contact with the floor as will give to the machine the stability that is desirable in view of the relatively long reach between the column and the sewing head, a slight movement of the column being magnified at the sewing head.

And it will be seen that the height of the.

sewing head may be varied within a limited range by this adjustment at the base of the machine.

At times, when the. bags or other articles which are to be sewed are so light that they can easily be held by the hands of the operator without other support, it is desir-' able to have the sewing head remain stationary andmove the bags or other objects by hand while the sewing is being done. In such a case, the belt, F is to be removed to cut off transmission of motion to the wheel, F Then the mechanism for turning the goose-neck will be idle. In addition to this, it may be desirable to so engage the goose-neck as to prevent its turning. Mechanism for that purposeis shown in Figs. 11 and 12. 'A cap, I, surrounds and is keyed to the goose-neck, C, and rests upon the upper end of the cylindrical tube, B. Said cap has a hub, J which extends downward and is surrounded by and secured to the inner ring of the ball bearing, 0 the outer ring of said bearing being engaged by the screws, C extending through the tube, B. In the upper edge of the tube, B, is a socket, J which'is to receive the lower end of the stem, J when the goose-neck is to be held against turning. Said stem is supported in an upright barrel/J the lower end of which is open and seated in the cap, J. Said stem has near its lower end an annular shoulder; and the upper end of the barrel has an in-turned flange, J Between said shoulder and said flange, the stem is surrounded by an expanding coiled spring,

J which bears against said shoulder and said flange and tends to press the stem, J downward. A cross pin, J extends through the stem and normally rests upon the upper end of the barrel in position to hold the lower end of the stem aboye the upper end of the tube, B, so that Sitldend can not engage in the socket, Said bar' rel has at its upper end upr1ght notches, J By turning the stem, J, manually, the cross-pin, J may be allowed to enter sa d notches in response to the action of said spring, thus allowing the stem to mov downward and enter the socket, J

I claim as my invention,

1. In a machine of the nature described, the combination of a supporting member turnable on an upright axis and reaching laterally from said .axis and having its outer end high enough to admit a bag under said end, a sewing head on said end, and automatic mechanism for actuating the sewing mechanism of said head and simultaneously turning said supporting member on said axis, substantially as described 2. In a machine of the nature described, the combination of a supporting member turnable and adjustable up and down on an upright axis and reaching laterally from said axis and having its outer end high enough to admit a bag under said end, a sewing head on said end, and automatic mechanism for actuating the sewing mechanism of said head and simultaneously turning said supporting member on said axis, substantially as described 3. In a. machine of the nature described, the combination of a column, a member reaching laterally from and turnable on said column, a sewing head on the outer end of said member .at a height sufhcient to admit a bag under said head, and automatic mechanism for actuating the sewing mechanism of said head and simultaneously turning said supporting member on said column,

substantially as described 4. In a machine of the nature described, the combination of a supporting member turnable on an upright axis and reaching laterally from said axis and having its outer end high enough to admit a ba under said end, a sewing head on said en and automatic mechanism for actuating the sewing mechanism of said head and simultaneously turning said supporting member on said axis, said turning mechanism leaving the supporting member free to be moved by, the operator to return the sewing head to the starting position, substantially as described.

5. In a machine of the nature described, the combination of a supportingmember turnable and adjustable up and down on an upright axis .and reaching laterally from said axls and having its outer end high enough to admit a bag under said end, a sewing head on said end, and automatic mechanism for actuating the sewing mechanism of said head and simultaneously turning said supporting member on said axis, said turning mechanism comprising friction means leaving the supporting member free to be moved by the operator to return the sewing head to the starting position, substantially as described.

6. In a machine of the nature described, the combination of a stationary upright member, a second member supported by and slidable up and down'relative to said stationary'member, a supporting member supported by .and turnable on and reaching laterally from said second member and having its outer end high enough to admit a bag under said end, a sewing head on said end, and automatic mechanism for actuating the sewing mechanism of said head and simultaneously turning said supportlng member,

.substantially as described porting member, substantially as described.

8. In a machine of the nature described, the combination of a stationary upright member, a second member supported by and slidable up and down relative to said sta-' tionary member, gearing for raising and lowering said second member, a supporting member supported by and turnable on and reaching laterally from said second member and having its outer end high enough to admit .a bag under said end, a sewing head on said end, and automatic mechanism for actuating the sevwing mechanism of said head and simultaneously turning said supporting member, substantially as described- 9. In a machine of the nature described, the combination of a relatively stationary upright structure, a supporting member turnable on said upright structure and reaching laterally from said structure and having its outer end high enough to admit a bag under said end, a sewing head on said end, turning mechanism supported in part by said supporting member and in part by said upright structure, and a motor supported by said supporting member in opreative relation with the, sewing mechanism of said head and with said turning mechanism for simultaneously actuating said sewing mechanism and said turning mechanism, substantially as described.

10. In a machine of the nature described, the combination of a relatively stationary upright structure, a supporting structure turnable on and reaching'laterally from said upright structure and having its outer end high enough to admit a bag under said end, a sewing head on said end, a gear member fixed on said stationary structure, gearing located on said supporting member and engaging the gear member on said stationary structure, and a motor mounted on said supporting member and arranged in operative relation with said sewing head-and the gearing on said supporting member for simultaneously actuating the sewing mechanism of said head and turning said supporting member,,substantially as described.

11. In a machine of the nature described, the combination of a relatively stationary upright structure, a supporting structure turnable on and reaching laterally from said upright structure and having its outer end high enough to admit a bag under said end, a sewing head on said outer end, a gear member fixed on said stationary structure, gearing, comprising a friction clutch, located on said supporting member and engaging the gear member on said stationary structure, and a motor mounted on said supporting member and arranged in operative relation with said sewing head and the gearing on said supporting member for simultaneously actuating the sewing mechanism of said head and turning said supporting member, substantially as described.

12. In a machine of the nature described, the combination of an upright, relatively stationary, tubular column, a tube which is slidable endwise and non-rotatable within said column, a supporting member having an upright arm journaled for turning in said tubular member and reaching laterally from said tubular member and having its outer end high enough to admit a bag under said end, a sewing head on said outer end, and automatic mechanism for actuating the sewing mechanism of said head and simultaneously turning said supporting member on saidcolumn, substantially as described.

13. In a machine of the nature described, the combination of a supporting member turnable on an upright axis and extending upward and laterally and downward and having its outer end high enough to admit a bag under said end, and automatic mechanism for actuating the sewing mechanism of said head and simultaneously turning said supporting member on said axis, substantially as described.

14. In a machine of the nature described, the combination of a supporting member turnable on an upright axis and reaching laterally from said axis and having its outer end high enough to admit a bag under said end, a sewing head on said end, a chambered bracket on said supporting member, automatic mechanism located in part within said bracket, for actuating the sewing mechanism of said head and simultaneously turning said supporting member, substantially as described.

15. In a machine of the nature described, the combination of a stationary upright portable base, upright-adjusting screws supported by said base and adapted to bear upon a floor, a supporting member turnable on an upright axis .and reachingv laterally from said axis and having its outer end high enough to admit a bag under said end, a sewing head on said end, and automatic mechanism for actuating the sewing mechemma anism of said head and simultaneously turning said supporting member on said axis substantially as described.

16. In a machine of the nature described, the combination of a supporting member turnable on an upright axis and reaching laterally from said axis and having its outer end high enough to admit a bag under said end, a sewing head on said end, automatic mechanism for actuating the sewing mechanism of said head and simultaneously turning said supporting member on said axis, and operator-controlled means for securing said supporting member against turning on said axis, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed'my name, this 6th day of March, in the year one thousand nine hundred and twenty.

JESSE E. MILLER. 

